


The Pack

by Agent_X



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cynical Remus Lupin, Gen, POV Remus Lupin, Post-Marauders Era (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-18 19:43:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16523438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agent_X/pseuds/Agent_X
Summary: Remus ponders his relationship post-Hogwarts to the rest of the Marauders, while waiting on the porch to the Potters' house.





	The Pack

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old work of mine, first written and published on my old LJ back in 2014. I rediscovered it recently and thought it might be fun to bring it over here, where someone might find it and read it. I quickly checked the grammar and spelling before posting it but if you find anything that looks funny please don't hesitate to tell, all and any cc is very welcome. Enjoy.

Remus raised his hand to knock, again, but stopped it mid-air. No one in the warmly lit up house seemed to have heard his first knock, he could turn around, walk away and they wouldn't be any worse off. Perhaps they wouldn't even notice that he didn't show up. They were so busy nowadays, the Marauders. His pack.

It wasn't like he would have had missed a big thing either. Sure, he hadn't seen his friends for quite some time, but that wasn’t unusual. Remus had tried to blame it on his many travels; on the fact that he always was on foot looking for work and a place to stay. It was only a subterfuge though, as travelling issues always could be solved relatively easy within the magic community. The truth was that they didn't have very much in common these days and Remus didn’t go to any lengths to see his old school buddies more often than he already did.

While Remus was looking desperately for work, living for the day, James and Sirius were... Well he wouldn't go as far as to call it playing around, but essentially that was what it was. Neither of them had a job or a profession to speak of. Of course, they didn't need the money, living off James inheritance, but Remus still thought it was rather stupid. He had asked Prongs about it some time ago, to which he had replied that he hadn't decided what he wanted to do yet, and that seemed to be the case still.

 

Remus knew he wasn't alone in thinking that the boys, no – grown men now – were idiots. There was a crack in Lily and James relationship; you would be blind to not see it. Being pregnant meant that she couldn't follow her own dreams right now, but Remus knew she had asked James to grow up, to stop spending so much time with Sirius and take some responsibility for the first time in his life. James had replied by disappearing for a weekend with Sirius, hunting Death Eaters or what not.

Even Peter had a job after all. Remus couldn't recall exactly what it was that he did but he remembered being impressed when he heard about it, he knew Peter's grades hadn't been that good when they graduated, despite the many hours they spent in the library together. Maybe he had got it through contacts Remus didn't know about.  
James and Sirius still acted like they did back in school though, except that instead of pulling pranks on Slytherins they were riding Sirius motorcycle and looking for trouble. Lily was at home, worrying herself sick and fire calling Remus whenever possible to talk about it. Remus wasn't really interested in listening to her complaints or the latest baby advice she’d read about, but he thought he owed Lily for always being so kind to him in the past so he endured.

No one ever asked how Remus was faring. Since he had made it clear after the graduation that he wouldn’t accept any charity they didn’t offer him any money, even though Lily made sure he never left their home hungry when he came to visit them. Remus was glad that they had accepted his choice but to never make a social call, never ask how he was doing… It made him think that perhaps his thoughts about them only taking him in during their school time because he was a lost case were true.

 

It was Lily that had invited him to this occasion, of course. He could see her through the window, the baby bulge huge under her blue sweater. Perhaps that baby would be the spark that brought the Potters together again. Perhaps it would be the drop that made the kettle boil over. She looked tired in any case, maybe the latest threats had been wearing her out. Remus had heard Dumbledore mention security measures at the latest Order meeting, but it didn’t look as if they were in place yet.

James stood a couple of meters away from her, gesticulating wildly as he told a story for Sirius who stood close by. Sirius had a new haircut, a new pair of leather trousers who left nothing for the imagination and a new chick on one arm. Remus recognised her vaguely as someone who might have been a couple of years below them at Hogwarts, which house he couldn’t say. Padfoot’s last girl had been a muggle, or the last girl Remus had met anyway. Neither that girl nor this one could make Sirius eyes stray from James though, Sirius always only had eyes for James.

Remus couldn’t understand how Lily could tolerate it. When she told him about the situation it basically sounded as if Sirius lived in their house, despite having a place of his own. The rivalry between Lily and Sirius couldn’t be more painfully obvious than it was in that room. The girl seemed to feel it, twitching awkwardly – feeling out of place no doubt. Remus could almost take pity on her, but then she had chosen Sirius and then there was really nothing else to expect. Silly little girl.

The only one unaware of the tension in the room was mister oblivious himself, now laughing at his own joke and completely missing Lily’s faked smile. Remus wondered if always being in the spotlight made every human that naïve, or if it was a family trait. He had met the late Potters twice, once on a winter holiday and then later at Lily and James' wedding. He remembered them as kind, but rather guileless concerning their son’s behaviour. They had always spoiled James rotten at every opportunity given.

There was no sign of Peter in the room, perhaps he was away with his job again. He’d been travelling extensively lately, almost as much as Remus. It was a shame, because whatever faults Peter may have he had a unique ability to lighten up the mood in any room – either with a joke on his own behalf or a crazy story. Looking back Remus thought this might be the reason James and Sirius let him tag along all those years, in spite of him being a loser. Remus sorely lacked that talent himself, if possible the tension would rather get even worse if he entered through that door. He knew it.

This is how it would play out.  
Lily would smile that fake smile of hers, which worked so well on James, and then drag him into the kitchen under the pretence that she needed help. Then the Talk would follow. Possible some tears. An awfully long and silent dinner. Some drinks afterwards and then a quick excuse from Sirius. He would need to get home and fuck his girlfriend. After another round of drinks an offer to him about staying for the night, which he would kindly decline, and later some awkward goodbyes with promises of staying in touch.  
Remus knew the drill by now.

He cast one last look at the room and turned to leave but froze on the spot when he heard the door behind him open. Unsurprisingly, it was Lily.  
“Oh I thought I heard someone knock, come in come in! No need to stand out here in the dark.”  
Her smile looks almost genuine and Remus steps into her embrace before reaching over his simple home gift – a small miniature broom he had made before getting kicked out of his last job.  
“You didn’t have to… But it’s lovely! Our boy is going to love it! James! Come over here and look what Remus brought for the baby.”  
Remus puts on his best smile when shaking James steady hand, tries to not wince when it as always squeezes just a tiny bit too hard. Nods curtly at his short “Moony” before entering the dining room to greet the other guests.

At least this was a proper meal and some human company. Remus knew he should be grateful for those things, being what he is. But the werewolf in him protests, tells him to find a stronger, worthier pack.

And sometimes, Remus is prepared to agree.


End file.
